Job well done
by Tairanda
Summary: This is a simple Reborn one-shot that I might turn into a story sometime in the future. There is no romance, just a brief moment of lust. Reviews welcome.


Chatter filler the 1st floor of a tavern in one of the back streets of Italy. Every customer had either a bottle or a glass of beer next to them or their lips; both men and women alike. But there was an exception; a tall man sitting right by the bar, dressed in an expensive looking black suit and a fedora-hat on his head. He wasn't drinking beer, or any other alcohol by the matter, but a cup of coffee. He wasn't a regular customer there. The man rarely came, since he preferred cafe's, however none were open at the late hour of the night that it was now, so he had to come to such a lowly place like this one to get his desired cup of espresso.

A bell's ring by the door caught the fedora-wearing man's hearing, which indicated that someone had opened the tavern's door. He hoped that it would be someone leaving, lessening the noise made behind his back alas the silent wish didn't fulfil, seeing that the stool next to him got occupied and a feminine voice said: "The usual, Max."

'The usual,' the man mused to himself, noting that the females order meant that she was a regular costumer of the tavern. He only wondered what kind of beverage she usually drank but was surprised that the barman spoke to her freely, indicating that she was more than a regular costumer.

"Hey, Mira, I haven't seen you here for quite a while. Did something happen?"

The female, Mira, laughed softly and replied: "I quit my previous job."

"Good for you. You should have done it long ago. But you said 'previous', does that mean you found a new one?" The bartender asked, preparing Mira's drink.

"Yes, I found a new job. It took some time to get used to it, but now I'm fine. And, no, I don't think that I should have quit my previous one long time ago; I liked it."

„No, you should. Your boss was a perverted skunk. Anyway, what is your new job?" The bartender asked, as he filled the females drink in a cup and put it in front of her.

„I quit only because the perverted skunk decided to stink around me. And, no, I can't tell you what's my new job, but I can tell you that I don't have definite working hours. I can work as I please, as long as I fill the deadlines." The female said with a chuckle beforehand.

The fedora wearing man calmly listened to the conversation happening next to him, drawing information from every word that left their lips, as he calmly, with no hurry, drank the espresso with his own. When the female had received her drink, he spared a glance at it to see, for his own surprise, caffe latte and not some alcohol. He noted with the corner of his black eye a grimace come from the barman as Mira took a sip from her drink.

„I don't understand how you drink it. I tried it once, after a sleepless night, and couldn't fall asleep till mid-day of the next day." Hearing such words from the bartender made the fedora-wearing man bloom interest towards the female next to him, however he chose not indulge himself in it, lest he was caught listening to their conversation, though he spared her a glance.

She had a petite face decorated with long, flowing cinnamon brown hair with a slight violet tint in it, unusual purple eyes and a small smile adorned her lips. Her outfit was unusual as well. A white suit with a red brimming for the jacket, underneath which was a black west with white buttons. Around the neck came an intricately knotted red bowtie with white triangle decoration at the ends. From underneath the sleeves of the jacket and above the bowtie came black silk curves, which made the man clad in black think that she had a blouse underneath it all. Also, next to her on the table, she had a white top-hat with red ribbon tied around it and three fake roses attached to the base. It could be seen that she came from the masquerade in the town.

"But you are the only one who can actually make my caffe latte as strong as an espresso." Mira said with a laugh in her voice. "Strong, yet gentle, the way I like it. And how many cups did you drink, that you couldn't fall asleep for so long?"

"Umm… five? I've seen you drink so many without batting an eye-lash and still sleeping like the dead." The bartender, Max, said in an uncertain voice.

Both Mira and the man in black snorted, making both Mira and Max look to the fedora wearing man in surprise, not realizing that their conversation was listened to. However, Mira decided to ignore him and reprimand her friend.

"You do not drink 5 cups of espresso, or a drink as strong as espresso, without preparing your body for it. It took me over a year to be able to drink 5 espresso's a day without heart jumping out of my mouth. You could have had caffeine overdose! You should be happy that you had only a sleepless day, not a visit to the hospital!"

"Sheesh! Take it easy, girl. I can take care of myself. If I can stomach a bottle of vodka, I can stomach your dose of caffeine." Max retaliated, making the girl pout.

"By the way, you shouldn't have come here with your white masquerade costume. You will dirty it here." Now Max was the one to reprimand Mira.

"These are my working clothes, not a costume for masquerade. Though, my job would have preferred a black costume, but you know I don't like to wear skirt." Mira explained, fingering the rose on her hat. The fedora-wearing guy decided that is time for him to leave, since he had finished nursing his cup of espresso for some time and had to leave before the duo noticed the empty cup and accused him of deliberate eves-dropping. He stood up, stretching his legs and left the facility with quiet, het quick strides.

"Working clothes? What are you? A bodyguard? Or a Mafiosi?" Max asked, suddenly serious.

"It does not concern you. In addition, if I were to tell you, a Mafiosi could be after my head. You know, walls have ears." Mira said quietly.

"Then why did you take such a dangerous job?" the bartender pressed on, but the brunette with purple tint in her hair decided to have none of it and joked as an answer.

"Because I was bored."

"Bored? Mirabella Destino, sane people do not take on dangerous jobs because of boredom. They find a pass-time activity." The bartender lectured the female in white, who adorned the expression of boredom on her face, clearly showing she did not care what her friend thought of her new job.

"Are you even listening?" He asked after a while of lecturing on do's and don'ts of sane people.

"Of course, I do. You are my friend, after all. But that doesn't mean I'll quit it." She said with a shrug and the attacked her friend with her words: "And since you are lecturing about what sane people don't do, I'll continue. Sane people don't open taverns in the crime polluted parts of town. Sane people don't open taverns in places where they know that the territory is swarmed with minor mafia families that bicker between themselves in hopes of becoming well-known. Sane people hire guards for their taverns. And to top it all, sane people don't lecture their friends about what sane people do, while they themselves do things that sane people don't do."

"I don't recall saying I'm sane." Max smirked and Mira returned it with her own and words "Same here."

"But still…" started the bartender, but Mira intercepted him: "Listen. I won't quit no matter what you say. I took up to job fully well knowing of the consequences, just like you started your business. Now, let us drop this topic before it ruins our friendship."

"Fine. But one more question. If there are indeed your working clothes, why do you wear them to come here?"

"Because I have an arranged meeting and we agreed on this tavern as a meeting place."

"How does the person look like, maybe he has already arrived."

"I don't recall the details, but I will know him, when I see him. By the way, I have finally found a person I like. He is a college of mine." Mirabella said and smirked at the frown which appeared on Max's face.

"It is not wise to fall for a colleague. Mark my words. I have head so many broken heart stories about love between colleagues that I don't want to hear one from you. The love ends when it comes to a promotion or they find out that they have nothing to talk about other than work." Max reprimanded.

"Oh, don't worry. I haven't spoken to him, only seen him. And you know that I'm not that simple-minded to fall just for the looks." Mira reassured her friend.

"Then why do you say that you like him?" The bartender inquired.

"I don't know how to explain it. He has this… aura that attracts me to him like a moth to a flame." The female tried to explain which made her friend sigh.

"The only thing you are truly attracted to is danger, my dear. So, my advice is not to approach him." Max warned Mirabella, but she chose to have none of it, by changing the subject.

"Say, Max, who was that person sitting next to me, the one with the black fedora. I don't recall seeing him here before."

"Don't know. He's one of them irregulars. Have seen him a couple of time before. Always coming late, when all the café's are closed. Probably needs his caffeine dose, since he always orders a cup of espresso, takes his time to drink it and then leaves." The bartender replied with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Oh~, a lover of strong coffee, I see." Mira said, smile spreading on her lips. "And judging my his Armani suit he has no problems with income. If he is a Mafiosi, like some behind me, then he is a high ranked one. A pro, no doubt."

"You like him." It was not a question, but a statement coming from Max's lips.

"Well, he is attractive and has the aura to give him way. And one that could make married women take of their rings and spread their legs… But… I can resist him. Won't go running after him asking for his phone number." Mira said admitted after a little while of thought.

Mirabella and Max chatted for some hours, till it was too late for her client to come, so she said goodbye to Max and left the tavern, hips swaying and top-hat on her head. Outside masquerade was still going, so she decided to have some fun. She watched the parade, circus acrobats do tricks, played some games from stalls that were still open till it was 4am.

She returned to the tavern, but this time she did not go inside. She went to an alley where the tavern's back door was located. There recognized a figure by the back door. Taking out a black gun with a rose painted on it's handle, she pointed it at the figure and took off the safety with a click. The figure snapped his head towards the sound, to reveal the face of Max.

"Oh, Mira. You scared me. What are you doing here, so late?" Max asked warily, looking at the gun pointed towards him.

"Nothing personal, just business." Was the reply he received, however, he was startled by the coldness of his long-time friends voice.

"Come now, lower the gun. And where did you get one, in the first place?"

"A gift from boss for job well done. And I don't intend to disappoint him." Was all Mira said.

"Disappoint? In what way?" Now he was growing anxious, since Mirabella was still holding him at gunpoint.

"You know, I don't take treachery lightly… And neither does Vongola… Farewell, old friend…" Mira said slowly, ignoring the sudden pleas to spare him, after hearing the word Vongola. She pulled the trigger, with no hesitation, face expressionless, eyes devoid of attachment. A soft bang, since there was a silencer on the gun, and the male fell to the ground, bullet-hole right between his eye-brows. It was an easy shot. Distance wasn't that big and the target was stationary. It was like shooting practice.

Suddenly there was heard a silent footstep, which caused Mirabella to twirl around and point her gun towards the sound, only to find the fedora wearing man standing there, one hand in his pants pocket, while the other held a gun pointed at the woman.

"I see that the Vongola sent their best to see job done, in case I fail." Mirabella said quietly, but she knew that the male heard it. However, she still pointed he gun at him, since he was doing the same.

"They were not sure you could kill a friend for the famiglia's sake." Was all the man replied in an even voice, seemingly not at all bothered by the gun pointed at him.

"Then they underestimated me… And how long do you intend to point your gun at me, or you are here to kill me?" Mira said, feeling her blood pump strongly in her veins, however, she did not let her voice waver. It could be her death, if she let him see that killing her friend had affected her and that she was afraid of being killed.

"I am not here to kill you, since you did not fail. And I have no intention to lower my gun, until your's away, Mirabella." He said his voice suddenly suave, making the female clad in white heart to soar. Slowly, she lowered her gun and saw the man do the same. Adrenaline pumped through her veins, since she could still die, if she let her guard down. Heck, she could die, even with her guard up, since in front of her stood Italy's best hitman, if not the whole world's, Reborn. She knew that he needed less than a second to raise his gun back up and shoot her in the heart, since he had perfect eye-hand coordination.

"What now?" Mirabella asked, her gun by her side.

"Now, you follow me." Reborn said in his suave voice, making Mirabella want to blush, however, luckily for her, she didn't. She holstered her gun and saw the male do the same. Now that guns were out of the way, Mirabella started feeling safer, so she did what told, that is, follow the man out of the alley.

What surprised Mira was the fact that they reached her home, but after a second thought, she wasn't all that surprised that they knew where she lived. However, by looking at her home, she didn't notice that the man had stopped, which caused her to bump into him.

"Sorry." Mirabella quickly said and took a step back, but she was quickly pulled back close.

"You have such pretty eyes… And you handled your job very well.." The man purred, making the female blush. Not every day you got complimented in looks and prowess by the best in the field.

"Thank you…" Mira said quietly, however for her is seemed loud in the early time of day.

"I think… a small reward is in order, don't you think?" He purred again.

"Wha-" Mira asked, but was silenced by lips being roughly pushed on her own. The kiss was short, yet passionate. It ended as quickly as it started, only a second or two long, but it was enough for Mirabella's brain to turn into a mush. She was just kissed by one of Italy's most desirable men, and the most dangerous one, at that. However, it was the dangerous part that made the drug like effect.

"If you continue doing so well, you might get something more." The man purred and left, while Mirabella was still in daze, trying to comprehend what he said.

When she snapped out, he was no where to be seen. Mira went in her home and went straight to bed, since all it took was a glance at the bed to realize how sleepy she really was.

Next days were peaceful. She helped Max's wife to prepare for the funeral, since Mirabella was Max's close friend, and attended it herself, crying genuine tears, since she was still close to her now dead friend. The next few days were quiet, till her phone rang. She looked at her phone screen to see an unidentified called. Picking up, she said the common 'hello', but was surprised to hear the man's voice say: "You've got a job."


End file.
